U.C. should also start paying social security for graduate student instructors. To be eligible for disability coverage under social security, you need to have recently worked, and paid FICA. During a typical grad school career, grad students do not pay social security at U.C. for several years, and lose eligibility. U.C. argued that grad students would be better off with the FICA money in their paycheck — which is only true until you become disabled, and can’t get a social security check. http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10029.html#a0=1